Composite pile and nap face fabric and method of making same



Sept. 20, 1949. FLYNN 2,482,581

COMPOSI F1 AND P FAG ABRIC AN ET D OF M N6 5 E Filed Dec. 9, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. @JmuuJ/L $291121.

JZMdSwM+MM P 1949- E. K. FLYNN COMPOSITE PILE AND NAP FACE FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 9, 1947 INVENTOR. Gdmumll Flynn.

BY MSMMYMM Patented Sept. 20, 1949 COMPOSITE PILE AND NAP FACE FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Edmund K. Flynn, Sanford, Maine, assignor to Goodall-Sanford, Inc., Sanford, Maine, a corporation of Maine Application December 9, 1947, Serial No. 790,627

10 Claims.

This invention resides in a novel fabric having a composite pile and nap face and in the method of making such a fabric.

The invention hasfor its object to provide such a construction of fabric and the method of producing it.

The invention, its further nature and objects, will best be understood from the accompanying description and drawings and will be defined in the claims. a

The nature and construction of pile fabrics are wellknown and familiar to those skilled in the textile art. Such fabrics essentially consist of a ground portion with tufts of pile projecting therefrom at the face. In the present invention a portion of the ground is formed into nap in the spaces between the tufts thus causing the face of the fabric to be composed both of pile and nap thus forming a new article of manufacture having the advantages and results set forth more fully hereinafter.

The drawings illustrate on an exaggerated scale and largely digrammatically preferred embodiments of the invention.

While the invention is applicable to any type of cut pile fabric where, by regulating the tension on the yarns composing the fabric and the size of the yarns, portions of the yarns composing the ground may be disposed to extend above the plane of a napping operation while maintaining the requisite strength of the fabric after the napping operation has been performed, the best results have been obtained with a V warp pile fabric and more particularly with that type of such fabric illustrated in the patent to Nutter No. 1,778,196, October 14, 1930. Therefore for illustration of simple and preferred embodiments of the invention, such a type of pile fabric is shown in the drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective with the yarns separated illustrating one such weave of pile fabric.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating certain changes in the weave which render it more readily adaptable to the invention.

Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are diagrammatic and conventional illustrations each in a general way representing a section of a fabric embodying and l, and a series of spaced pile tufts interwoven with the ground and projecting from the face. In the specific fabric illustrated the pile tufts are formed from a pile warp and are in the form of V's 5 straddling the filling yarn. In this type of so-called V warp pile fabric, the pile tufts are generally held in place with a light coating of adhesive on the back of the ground which coating has not been illustrated because it would only confuse a disclosure'of the present invention.

In any type of pile fabric the pile tufts are separated to an extent depending upon the construction of the weave, the sizes of the yarns, the tensions employed in weaving, etc., so that in a cut pile fabric the spreading out of the fibers of the yarns forming the pile tufts is depended upon to diminish or conceal these spaces and partially or wholly to conceal the ground and to produce an even and regular appearance and feel of the face of the fabric.

The present invention provides a construction in which these spaces between the pile tufts are partially or wholly filled by a nap formed from portions of the ground of the fabric. In this invention, therefore, the fabric has a composite pile and nap face. The relative porportions of pile and nap thus forming the composite face of the fabric may be varied within wide limits and will depend principally upon the construction of the weave, the size, fiber, twist and number of yarns employed in a given area, and the tension to which they are subjected, the number and distribution of the pile tufts in a given area, and upon the character of the ground yarns and the portions thereof which are formed into nap.

It will be understood that in a pile fabric the pile yarns forming the pile are commonly of more expensive material than the ground yarns. Quite commonly the pile yarns are formed of mohair or a mohair-containing mixture although any suitagole fiber may be employed within the purview of the present invention. Quite commonly also the ground yarns, both warp and filling, are commonly of cotton fiber, but here also any suitable fiber or mixtures of fiber, dependent upon the use and requirements of the fabric, may be employed within the purview of the present invention, except that, since a portion of yarns of the ground in this invention are formed into nap to compose part of the face of the fabric, such yarns must be suitable for that purpose.

It will he understood also that the terms nap and "napping as used herein are to be given a broad significance. By the term nap is to be understood any fibrous or pile-like effect which results from raising a portion of yarn by a napping operation. Such a napping operation is to be understood as that performed by standard napping machines or by the action of burling and tigering machines, all well known and familiar to those skilled in the textile art. Such machines will operate upon cut pile fabrics without any material removal of the fibers of the pile and may be accurately set or adjusted so as to engage and nap definite portions of the ground yarns.

Referring now to the familiar type of the V-weave warp pile fabric illustrated in Fig. 1,

it will be noted that the filling yarns pass at the face alternately over two ground warps and under two ground warps. Thus it will be seen that the filling yarns 3 pass over each pair of ground warps l and under each pair of ground warps 2, while the filling yarns 4 pass under each pair of ground warps l and over each pair of ground warps 2, and it will be seen that the V pile tufts straddle the filling yarns between each pair of ground warp yarns where they are passing over the filling. Thus at the face of the fabric there are relatively long portions of the filling yarn as at 6 where the filling yarn passes over the two ground warps and, in the preferred form of the invention when embodied in this type of fabric, it is these portions of the filling yarn in the ground which are subjected to napping, thus to raise a nap in the spaces between the pile tufts. In this particular embodiment of the invention in order to secure a substantial amount of nap, it is desirable to form the filling yarns of a larger size and lower twist than would otherwise be employed, and such a construction is illustrated in Fig. 2 where the filling yarns l3 and I4, corresponding to 3 and 4, are formed of much larger sizeand a lower twist. So also is illustrated in Fig. 2 another advantage obtainable by the present invention and that is that, by forming the face of the fabric partially of pile and partially of nap, it is practical for many purposes to use a much looser weave with fewer picks of filling and consequently fewer tufts of pile per unit of area and still get an equivalent or even better fabric for the desired purpose with a substantial reduction in cost due both to the reduction in the amount or cost, or both, of the fiber employed and in the reduction in the cost of the labor and expense of the weaving of the fabric.

For example, it has been found that, in the case of a standard fabric such as shown in Fig. 1 with the pile yarns of a mixture containing mohair, the ground warps of a two-ply 16 cotton and the filling of a single 8 cotton woven 32 picks to the inch, an excellent substitute therefor is provided by a fabric embodying the present invention in which the pile and ground warp yarns remain unchanged, but in which the filling yarn is a cotton yarn of the core and wrapper type of a size equivalent to 3% single and with the fabric woven 2| picks per inch. It will be obvious that, by reason of the large reduction in picks of filling as well as in the number of tufts of the expensive pile yarn per unit of area and by reason of the reduced cost of weaving, a very substantial saving is effected. Moreover it is found that for many purposes such as upholstery the novel fabric thus formed with the composite pile and nap face has all the requirements for wear, presents an entirely satisfactory appearance, has a soft feel or hand, and does not possess an undesirable gripping action, but has the requisite slidability required in upholstery material.

The general effect of the napping operation in a fabric such as illustrated in Fig. 2, is shown by the conventional Figs. 3 and 4. In Fig. 3 one of the filling yarns I4 is shown passing alternately under the ground warps I and over the ground warps 2 and with two of the pile tufts 5 illustrated. This filling, it will be noted, is of much larger size and is of a looser twist than commonly employed, and the tension on the yarns as they are woven is regulated so as to raise a substantial portion of the filling where it passes over the pair of warps 2 into the plane of the napping operation. This plane is indicated by the line Ill. Only the portions of the ground to be napped are brought above this line Ill. The fabric during the napping operation is held with its back tightly against the usual support, and the napping element adjusted as indicated by the plane In so as to reach only the desired portion of the ground to be napped and without engaging any other portion of the ground. As shown in Fig. 3, the warps l and 2 and the portion of the filling passing under the warps I are all below the line H).

The nap '20 raised from the portion of the filling l4 extending above the line ID will fluff out in the spaces between the pile tufts and more or less fill these spaces.

The construction shown in Fig. 4 is similar to Fig. 3 except the filling, there employed, has a relatively hard core l5 and a wrapper l6, and the size of the yarns and the tension applied are correlated so that only a portion of the wrapper I 6 rises above the line l0 and is therefore formed into nap. Thus by use of a hard twist core IS, the strength of the filling yarn may be increased over that when no core is employed as in Fig. 3.

While with this particular weave of fabric highly satisfactory composite pile and nap face is formed in many cases by napping only the portions of the filling yarn where it extends over two warps at the face of the fabric, the invention in its broader aspects is not restricted to the particular portions of the ground which are formed into nap, and other forms are illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6.

In Fig. 5 the pile warps and the filling are retained of the same size as in Figs. 3 and 4 but the ground warps 5| and 52 are made of a larger size and the tension on the yarns regulated so that not only is a portion of the filling yarn where it passes over the pair of warps 52 raised above the plane l0, but portions of the ground warps where they pass over the filling are raised above the line 1.. Thus when the napping operation proceeds, portions of both the filling and warp yarns of the ground are formed into nap.

In Fig. 6 the pile Warp and the ground warp yarn GI and 62 are indicated as the same as in Fig. 5, but the filling yarn 63 is a small strong tightly twisted yarn and subjected to relatively high tension so that it never passes above the plane Ill and only portions of the ground warps where they pass over the filling extend above the line l0 and are subjected to the napping operation. This is the least desirable form because it tends to bring the pile and nap together and prevent a uniform appearance of the face, but

i for some purposes may be found desirable.

It will be appreciated that these illustrations of different forms which the invention may take are highly conventionalized with the yarns being shown as cylindrical and the fibers of the pile and nap being shown as straight lines, but the actual nature and appearance of yarns, of pile tufts and of fibrous nap, are well known and familiar.

Even when the fiber of the pile and that of the nap is different, as for example a mohair-contalning mixture in the pile and cotton in the nap, either a uniform face effect may be produced with available dyeing methods, or a contrasting effect may be produced with available dyeing methods.

While the opportunities for made possible by this invention, have been noted, substantial advantages accrue even when the adoption of the invention involves an increase in cost, as for example when a standard out pile fabric is woven without reduction in number of pile tufts per unit of area and without reduction in the number of picks of filling, but a filling yarn of better quality or larger size is employed and the nap formed therefrom. In such case the cost will obviously increase over that of the standard fabric, but a fuller, better, more even face will result and, when desired, the appearance of a rich fiat fabric combined with the advantages inherent in a pile fabric may be obtained.

The invention, therefore, presents a novel fabric in which the face is a composite of, pile and of nap capable of infinite variations in appearance, quality, cost and characteristics.

Having thus described the mvention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A novel fabric having a composite pile and nap face consisting of a ground of interlaced warp and filling yarns, spaced out pile tufts interwoven with the ground and projecting from the reduction in cost,

face thereof, and with portions of the face. of the ground in the spaces between the pile tufts forming a nap in the said spaces.

2. A novel fabric having a composite pile and nap face consisting of a ground of interlaced warp and filling yarns, spaced out V pile tufts interwoven by the filling yarns, and with portions of the ground at the face of the fabric in the spaces between the pile tufts forming a nap in the said spaces.

3. A novel fabric having a composite pile and nap face comprising ground warp yarns, filling yarns, and regularly spaced out V pile tufts, with each filling yarn passing through and holding pilt tufts and having portions extending over a plurality of ground warps in the spaces between the tufts at the face of the fabric and with a part of said portions forming a nap in the spaces between the tufts.

4. A, novel fabric having a composite pile and nap face consisting of that type of cut pile fabric in which the ground is composed of interlaced warp and filling yarns with the filling yarns at the face at every other pick passing alternately over two ground warps and under two ground warps and at the alternate picks alternately under two Number ground warps and over two ground warps, and in which cut V pile tufts are interwoven by the filling yarn at the points where the filling yarn passes under two ground warps, and in which type of fabric the portions of the filling yarns extending over two ground warps form a nap inthe spaces between the pile formed by the pile tufts.

5. A novel fabric having a composite pile and nap face consisting of ground warp yarns and filling yarn with regularly spaced out V pile tufts and with the filling yarn having sections extending over a plurality of ground warp yarns at the face of the fabric in the spaces between the tufts and in which a portion of said sections form a nap in the spaces between the pile formed by the tufts.

6. A novel fabric having a composite pile and nap face as defined in claim 5 in which the filling yarn is composed of a core and a wrapper with the core presenting the required strength for filling and the wrapper forming the portion of the sections which form the nap in the spaces between the pile formed by the tufts.

'7. The method of forming a novel fabric having a composite pile and nap face which consists in subjecting a cut V warp pile fabric, havin filling yarns passing at the face alternately over two ground warps and under two ground warps to a napping operation acting to raise in nap form a portion of the filling, where it passes over the two ground warps, into the spaces between the pile tufts.

8. The method of forming a novel fabric hav-- ing a composite pile and nap face which consists in weaving a cut V warp pile fabric with a filling yarn composed of a core and a wrapper with the core of the requisite strength for filling and in subjecting the said fabric to a napping operation acting to raise in nap form portions of the wrapper of the filling yarn in the spaces between the pile formed by the pile tufts.

9. The method of forming a novel fabric having a composite pile and nap face which consists in subjecting portions of the ground between the pile tufts of a cut pile fabric to a nappin operation acting to form a nap in the spaces between the pile formed by the pile tufts.

10. The method of forming a novel fabric having a composite pile and nap face which consists in subjecting portions of the ground between the pile tufts of a cut pile fabric to a. napping operation and in previously regulating the tension on the yarns and the relative size thereof to cause only pare-determined portions of the yarn to extend above the plane of the napping operation and thereby be formed into nap.

EDMUND K. FLYNN.

REFERENCES (TITET) UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,344,777, Stroud June 29, 1920 1,952,407 Beaty Mar. 2'1, 1934 2,208,533 Amory July 16, 1940 

